AIIMS bars RTI activist from entering its premises

एम्सNEW DELHI: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has issued orders for blocking an RTIactivist's entry to the hospital premises.

Raj Narayan, convener of Janhit Abhiyan, who has filed multiple complaints to the health ministry against the institute director, has been accused of disturbing public tranquillity. "Raj Narayan, against whom the institute has written to Delhi Police for initiation of criminal proceedings under Section 107 and 109 code of criminal procedure, is hereby restricted from entering the institute premises in view of the violent incidents that took place on Wednesday..." the order issued by AIIMS chief security officer states.

It adds that violation of the order has to be intimated to the security control room. "This is issued with approval of competent authority," it says. Narayan claimed that he was standing near the director's office on Wednesday where Dr Kuldeep Kumar, an assistant professor at the institute who was terminated recently for bad behaviour, was sitting on dharna. "I was taking a picture of the deputy director (administration) sitting there when the guards started manhandling me. They took my phone also and returned it when senior faculty members intervened," he said.

Narayan claimed that he has been raising issues of corruption and flouting of reservation rules in appointment of the faculty for 15-18 years. "They are acting against me to kill dissent. What if I get ill tomorrow? How can the institute, a premier hospital, order blanket ban against a person?" the activist said.

A section of senior faculty members from AIIMS have been protesting at AIIMS, demanding reinstatement or review of the decision on termination of Kumar. AIIMS, however, has clarified that there were several complaints against him.

Only in India the healthcare financing is very small when compared to the financing by the other forces rather than the patient himself or herself paying out of pocket. Having 70-75% of the expenses as out-of-pocket, in my opinion, is not a right approach to managing healthcare in a country where the patients tend to sub-optimally purchase healthcare if he/she has to pay out-of-pocket.